Histopathological Changes in Chronic Low Dose Organic Arsenic Exposure in Rats Kidney

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Exposure to environmental arsenic remains a major public health challenge. Human is exposed to arsenic from groundwater as a result of anthropogenic activities. Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic has been linked with multiple medical conditions. Therefore, many agricultural countries have shifted the use of inorganic to the organic-based herbicide, monosodium methylarsonate (MSMA). However, with increasing numbers of chronic kidney  disease  of  unknown  etiology  (CKDu),  chronic  exposure  to  herbicide  is  believed  as  one  of  the  potential explanations. To date, studies on chronic effects of organic arsenic on the kidney are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of chronic oral organic arsenic exposure on the rat’s kidney. MATERIALS  AND METHOD: Thirty-six  Sprague  Dawley  rats  were  randomly  divided  into  treatment  and  its  corresponding  control groups according to the duration of observations either 2, 4 or 6 months. Both groups were subdivided into three subgroups, each with six animals per subgroup. The treatment groups were given oral MSMA at 63.20 mg/kg body weight, while control groups received distilled water. At the end of each duration, blood was collected for the renal profile, urine for neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL)  marker, and  kidney tissues were harvested for arsenic level measurement and histological analysis. RESULTS:Arsenic level and urinary NGAL were higher in all treatment  groups  than  its  corresponding  control  groups.  Histological  findings  showed  progressive  pathological changes in the glomeruli and proximal tubules. CONCLUSIONS:Chronic oral exposure to low dose organic arsenic has demonstrated evidence of kidney injury in rats.